Lately, I’ve been inundated with news articles bemoaning the difficulty of making—and keeping—friends. So I decided to catch up with some of my oldest and dearest pals. I’m pleased to report that Frog and Toad are still friends, Bunnicula the vampiric rabbit continues to menace veggies the world over, and literal-minded Amelia Bedelia is still stymied by domestic tasks such as drawing the drapes and dressing the chicken.

Books have always been my boon companions, and, as a child, I had a special place in my heart for series fiction; every time I picked up a new installment of the Baby-Sitters Club or one of Judy Blume’s Fudge books, it felt like chatting with a treasured confidant. I’m thrilled to spotlight several new series starters, a mix of chapter books and short middle-grade works. I’m quite sure they will launch many beautiful friendships—indeed, learning how to be a good friend figures prominently in these stories.

Worrywarts of the world, rejoice; the following two titles feature two endearingly fretful heroes. The protagonist of Bulldozer’s Big Rescue by Elise Broach, illustrated by Kelly Murphy (Christy Ottaviano Books, Jan. 21), longs for a playmate, but that would mean talking to somebody new—horrors! At his mother’s urging, he introduces himself to his new next-door neighbor. The sole anthropomorphic vehicle in an otherwise all-human cast, shy Bulldozer will win over introverts young and old as he steels himself to confront seemingly overwhelming obstacles before ultimately triumphing.

The title of Maryrose Wood’s Bad Badger: A Love Story, illustrated by Giulia Ghigini (Union Square Kids, Feb. 25), might suggest a rather mischievous protagonist; readers will be surprised—but charmed—to meet the genteel Septimus, who worries about his distinctly “unbadgerish” qualities, such as his love for Verdi’s La Traviata. His insecurities come to a head as he befriends a taciturn sea gull. Some say we must love ourselves before we can love another, but in Wood’s elegant and empathetic tale, these journeys are deftly intertwined.

Banana-related nicknames seem to be having a moment among the elementary school set. This year, readers are graced with Lana Button’s Brianna Banana, Helper of the Day (Orca, Feb. 11), illustrated by Suharu Ogawa, and Shifa Saltagi Safadi’s Amina Banana and the Formula for Friendship, illustrated by Aaliya Jaleel (Putnam, May 20). Tall, blond Brianna Ross’ moniker—foisted on her by mean-spirited classmates—is one more reminder that she doesn’t fit in. Button’s delightfully chatty prose brings to life an impulsive and distractable but kindhearted youngster who, despite setbacks, gives it her all as she forges a bond with a classmate.

Similarly, Syrian refugee Amina initially struggles to find her place; her difficulty speaking English creates a wall between her and her peers. With gentle humor and sensitivity, Safadi demonstrates how seemingly minor incidents—like a mispronounced name—can make a child feel like an outsider. But as Amina prepares for a dreaded class presentation, she sees her new friends’ encouragement as a sign that she belongs—as is the affectionate nickname she receives from one of her classmates.

Mahnaz Dar is a young readers’ editor.